Maduro locked in standoff with opponents as each side claims victory in presidential elections
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s opposition and President Nicolas Maduro’s government are locked in a high-stakes standoff as each side claims victory in Sunday’s presidential vote, which millions in the long-suffering nation saw as their best shot to end 25 years of single-party rule. Several foreign governments, including the U.S., held off recognizing the results as election officials delayed releasing detailed vote tallies after proclaiming Maduro the winner with 51% of the vote, to 44% for retired diplomat Edmundo González. Meanwhile, on the streets of Caracas, a mix of anger, tears and loud pot banging greeted the announcement of results by the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council.
Blinken says US has ‘serious concerns’ about announced result of Venezuelan election
TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States has ‘serious concerns’ about the announced result of Venezuela’s hotly contested presidential election that authorities say was won by incumbent Nicolas Maduro. Speaking in Tokyo on Monday shortly after the announcement was made, Blinken said the U.S. was concerned that the result reflected neither the will nor the votes of the Venezuelan people. He called for election officials to publish the full results transparently and immediately and said the U.S. and the international community would respond accordingly.
Israel weighs response to Hezbollah after a rocket from Lebanon kills 12 youths on a soccer field
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Middle East is bracing for a potential flare-up in violence a day after Israeli authorities said a rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and killed 12 children and teens. Saturday’s strike raised fears of a broader regional war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which has denied a role in the attack. Israel is weighing its response. Iran warned Israel that a strong reaction will lead to “unprecedented consequences.” The White House National Security Council says it is working on a diplomatic solution to “end all attacks once and for all” in the border area between Israel and Lebanon.
Trump and Harris enter 99-day sprint to decide an election that has suddenly transformed
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) — Barely a week ago, a sense of inevitability loomed over the presidential election. But now, just 99 days before Election Day, a fundamentally new race is taking shape with new candidates, a new issue focus and a new outlook for both parties. Vice President Kamala Harris is smashing fundraising records, taking over social media and generating levels of excitement not seen since former President Barack Obama’s historic candidacy. On the other side, Republicans are fearful and frustrated as they struggle to accept the new reality that Donald Trump’s victory is no sure thing. The incredible speed with which the election was transformed over the last week is a stark reminder that, in the Trump era, little is certain and the conventional wisdom is often wrong.
Biden is pivoting to his legacy. He speaks Monday at the LBJ Presidential Library
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is paying a visit to the library of the last president to make the same difficult choice that he did to not seek reelection. Biden’s speech Monday at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, is designed to mark the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, enacted under President Lyndon Johnson. But the visit has taken on very different symbolism in the two weeks it took to reschedule it after Biden got COVID-19. Now Biden is out of the race. Vice President Kamala Harris is the likely Democratic nominee. And the president is focused not on his next four years, but on the legacy of his single term and the future of democracy.
Crews battle wildfires across the US West and fight to hold containment lines
FOREST RANCH, Calif. (AP) — Wildfires across the western United States and Canada have put millions of people under air quality alerts, as thousands of firefighters battle the flames, including the largest wildfire in California this year. The so-called Park Fire has scorched an area greater than the size of Los Angeles as of Sunday, contributing to poor air quality in a large swath of the Northwestern U.S. and western Canada. Although the sprawling blaze is only 12% contained, cooler temperatures and increased humidity over the next few days could help crews battle the fire, which has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Camp Fire that tore through the nearby community of Paradise.
The Galapagos Islands and many of their unique creatures are at risk from warming waters
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS, Ecuador (AP) — The wondrous Galapagos Islands and its many creatures have always been sensitive to changes in ocean temperatures. But the significant warming from climate change in recent years has meant more pressure on the sea lions, marine iguanas and many other species in the remote islands hundreds of miles off the coast of Ecuador. As if that weren’t enough, non-native species are a problem on land — that means feral cats, dogs, pigs, goats and cattle. Experts say cats and pigs compete with the Galápagos giant tortoise for food. And feral pigs can wipe out a tortoise nesting site quickly.
Ten years on, many Yazidis uprooted by Islamic State onslaught struggle to find stable homes
SINJAR, Iraq (AP) — Ten years ago, Islamic State militants launched an onslaught on villages and towns of the Yazidi religious community in northern Iraq. Thousands were killed or captured — including women and girls subjected to human trafficking and sexual abuse. As the anniversary of the onslaught arrives, tens of thousands of Yazidis face a tough choice: Remain in displacement camps that — for all their harshness — they’ve called home for many years. Or return to hometowns that many say remain unsafe. A government order to clear out the displacement camps adds new urgency to the decision-making.
Paris Olympics Day 2: Simone Biles and LeBron James shine as Americans step up at the Games
PARIS (AP) — On the first sunny day of the Paris Olympics, the stars from the United States shined bright. Simone Biles and LeBron James dazzled, so did the U.S. women’s soccer team. Torri Huske grabbed some of the spotlight, and Haley Batten made a name for herself by earning a silver medal in mountain biking for the best finish ever by an American rider. Although it was French swimmer Léon Marchand who received the most boisterous cheers in crushing the field to win gold in the men’s 400-meter individual medley, the U.S. had a strong Sunday on Day 2 of the Games.
US women beat Germany 4-1 at Olympics and Canada tops France 2-1 amid drone-spying scandal
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Sophia Smith scored a pair of goals to help the United States beat Germany 4-1 and advance to the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics. Mallory Swanson and Lynn Williams also scored for the Americans. Canada’s Vanessa Gilles scored in the 12th minute of stoppage time to beat France 2-1 and keep alive its hopes of advancing. Australia produced a stunning comeback to beat Zambia 6-5 in Nice. Momoko Tanikawa scored deep in stoppage time to clinch Japan’s 2-1 comeback win over Brazil. World champion Spain beat Nigeria 1-0 to make it two wins from two in Group C. Colombia beat New Zealand 2-0 in Lyon.
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